Why the charade? Because of the dysfunction of New Jersey politics that can make public service such a nightmare. Instead of criticizing Cerf for this, we should be grateful he’s willing to go through the hassle.

Rice’s objection? He believes that Cerf is secretly working on behalf of hedge fund managers who want to privatize public education so they can earn profits from it.

No, that is not a joke. You can talk to Rice until your ears bleed and he won’t abandon this peculiar conviction. That is why Cerf remains “acting commissioner” after a full year in office, despite doing a fine job pushing the governor’s education agenda.

Rice can live with the standoff, but the people of Essex County are taking a beating because broad classes of court cases have been canceled. So if you want a divorce in Essex, tough luck. If you are injured and need money for medical care, too bad. If you are a single mom and need child support, you’ll have to wait for the politicians to settle their tiff.

Sadly, Rice and Christie have demonstrated that this political fight is more important than the basic functioning of justice in Essex County. They want to keep fighting, and if hostages are killed, so be it.

Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerGov. Chris Christie

Cerf may have found a way to untangle this knot, assuming the governor and Democrats go along. He has moved his legal residence and Rice can’t block him. And that may be good enough to break the logjam over his nomination.

“Most likely, we will have a confirmation hearing in the near future,” says Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. “If you move, you move.”

So everything is resolved? Cerf will get his proper job title and Essex County will get its judges?

Not so fast. Christie’s office yesterday said there is no deal yet. Several sources say the governor is now adding a new condition: He wants the Senate to confirm Paula Dow, the former attorney general, as a judge in Essex County.

People in Essex County should remember this one. A tentative agreement on six nominees was reached last year, according to Democrats, though the governor’s office hedges on that point. But all sides agree that Dow was not on that list. She would likely make a fine judge, but to add this condition now threatens to extend the standoff.

Enough. This is not a game. Real people are hurting because of this nonsense. And a solution is at hand.

For the Democrats, confirm Cerf. For the governor, nominate the list of six judges.